Window safety-catch



E. COOKINGHAM.

WINDOW SAFETY CATCH.

APPLiCATION FILED APR.24.1920.

L 2 9 1 8 1 m J d e t n w a D1 IN VEN TOR.

foo/1050 14 2 m m T T A UNlTED STATES PATENT oFF ce,

ELMYNA COOKINGHAM, E1 saemaw, iviicrr qani,

' i Application filed April 24,

To all whom it may concern h Be it known that I, ELMYNA COOKING- rniu, acitizen of theUnited States, residing at Saginaw, in thecounty'ofSaginaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Window Safety-Catches; and I do hereby declare thefollowingto be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention,such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to new and, useiul improvements in window catchesand has for its primary object the provision of means which willautomatically lock a window sash at its various positions in a windowframe when said means is manually released, thereby insuring the windowsash being locked against movement at all times. 1 h A Another object ofthis invention is the provision of a window catch of the above statedcharacter, which shall be simple, durable and. efiicient, and which maybe manufactured andsold at a comparatively low cost. a

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as thedescription, proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a window frame and sash, partly insection, illustrating a catch applied to the window sash and constructedin accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the catch,

- Fig. 3 a plan view illustrating the openings in the closure plate topermit the locking feet to extend therethrough.

Referring in detailto the drawing, the Inumeral 1 indicates a windowfiranre in which is slidably mounted a window sash 2.

The windowsash 2 is provided with a recess 3' that opens outwardlythrough one edge thereof to receive the catch 4: that is adapted toengage a rack plate 5 secured to. the window frame 1 whereby the windowp fi tie Ltterslstent Patented Jan. 18, 1921..

1920. Serial so. 376,326. I Q 1 sash can be locked at various positionswithin the window frame. 1 A closure plate 6 is secured to the windowsash 2 by fasteners 7 so asto close the recessf3 and has formed thereoninwardly extending lugs Sto form feet for: a flexible member or spring,9. The flexible member or spring 9 intermediate its ends is providedwith an opening to slidabiy receive a stud 10secured to the plate 6 andon which is mounted a spring 11 of the expansible type, Blocksor feet 12are securedto the ends of the member or spring 9 and extend throughslots 13 formedin the closure plate 6 and have their outer facesserrated to engage. the raclcplate 5 for holding the window sash 2 atvarious positions, along the windowframe. The feet 12 are normally urgedinto engagement with the rack plate 5 by the spring 11. a

A frame 14 islocated in the recessfi and slidably receives tubularmember which slida'blyreceives the innerendofthe stem a or stud 10andbears agalnst the spring or flexible member 9. The tubular member 15extends through the window sash and is provided with a finger grip 16 sothaton pressing the finger grip 16, the spring or flexible member 9 willbe flexed causing the feet 12to disengage the rack plate 5 and permitthe window sash 2 to move freely upwardly and downwardly in the windowframe. As soon as pressure is released from the finger grip 16, thespring 11 forces the feet 12 into engagement with the rack plate againlocking the window sash automatically. A collar 17 is secured to thetubular member 15 and abuts the frame 14: for limiting the outwardmovement of said tubular member 15 and also for limiting the flexingaction of the spring or flexible memher 9 in one direction. a

The frame 14 consists of a body 18 which is provided with end Walls 19that are offset'as illustrated at 20 to form chambers 21 that permit orreceive the feet 12 as they move inwardly to disengage from the rackplate. The end walls 19 where they are ofi set form seats 22 thatcooperate with the seats 8 in supporting a the spring or flexible member9. The flexible member or spring 9 is free to slide between the seats 22and 8 during the operation of the catch. The body 18 is secured to theclosure plate 6 by rivets 23 so that the entire catch can be assembledand then placed into the refcess 3 of the WindoWsash and secured thereinby the fastening element 7 passing through the closure plate'andthreaded into the window sash. I The openings in the closure plate 6thatreceive thefastening 7 are of the countersunk type so that the headsof the fasteners are embedded or dis posed in a plane inwardly of theouter face of said closure plate.

m'While I' have shown and described the preferred embodiment ofmyinvention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction,combination, and arrangea "stationary rackplate, means engaging theflexible member to. flex the same in one direction to engage the feetwith the rack late and manual 0 eratin means en a V b b an oppositedirection ing the flexible-member to flexthe same in to disengage thefeet from the rack plate, g 7 21 A window "catch comprising a frame,seatsformedin said frame, a flexible member slidable between. saidseats, locking'elementsj carried'by said flexible member, ten-.sionme'aris flexing said flexiblemember in one direction to*en'gage'the locking elements with a stationary rack plate, and a pushbutton slidable in said frame and engaging the flexible member to flexthe same in an opposite direction to disengage the locking elements fromthe rack plate.

3. A window catch comprising a closure plate secured to a sash andhaving openings, seats formed on said plate, a frame secured to saidplate, seats carried by said frame and'arranged adjacent the first namedseats and defining oflset portions to said frame to provide chambers, aflexible member slidable between said seats and having its ends disposedin said chambers, locking elements carried by the ends of the flexiblemember and movable through the openings in the closure plate to engage arack plate, a stud carried by the closure plate and extending throughthe flexible member, a spring on said stud and bearing against theflexible member to flex the same in one direction to engage the lockingelements with the rack plate, a sleeve slidable in the sash and frameand receiving the stud and bearing against the flexible member, a fingergrip secured to said sleeve to permit a person to flex the member in anopposite direction for moving the locking elements away from the rackplate and into said chambers.

In'testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELMYNA COOKINGHAM.

, V lVitnesses

